The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Ringway is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.
Ringway
1RINGWAY |
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE
Managing Director MikeNotman
Our teams deliver
maintenance services across
the UK’s highway network
Established in 1976 to provide surfacing solutions to
London roads, Ringway has grown to become a diverse,
national company. Our specialist highways expertise has
grown our business to one of the largest public-sector highway
service providers in the UK. Our teams are responsible for
looking after over 50,000 kilometres of the UK’s highway
network – the largest highway maintenance portfolio within
the UK, including around 3,000 kilometres of strategic road
network, 236 kilometres of DBFO motorway and trunk roads,
and just under 50,000 kilometres of local authority network,
including around 750,000 streetlights. At a time of great
financial uncertainty for local authorities, Ringway believes that
the importance of strong relationships between the private
and public sectors in ensuring the effective delivery of resilient
public services is greater than ever.
We deliver highway maintenance services on behalf of local authorities across
the country, as well as operating two long-term concessions in partnership with
the London Borough of Hounslow and the Isle of Wight Council. As of 2017, we
resumed our presence delivering highway maintenance and response services
on the Strategic Road Network, managed by Highways England. Our focus is on
delivering cost-effective mobility solutions for the travelling public, connecting
communities and building strong partnerships in the areas that we work.
FACTS ABOUT
RINGWAY
»Managing Director:
MikeNotman
»Founded in: 1976
»Based in: Horsham, West Sussex
»Services: Highways
maintenance
»No. of employees: 1,512
»Born in London
Ringway
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
2| RINGWAY
We know highways
Having now operated in the highways
sector for over 40 years, we are
able draw on the broadest range
of technical expertise to deliver the
highest level of service in the areas
we work. Uniquely, Ringway is solely
focused on the improvement and
maintenance of the UK’s highways
– unlike many other contractors, we
have not diversified into numerous
unrelated markets. This enables us to
commit to a local self-delivery model,
meaning we are proud of our record
of employing local people and taking
a community-focused approach in all
that we do.
Our internal asphalt production and
R&D capabilities also ensure that we
are able to offer our clients the most
innovative and efficient road surfacing
solutions, as well as a broad selection
of material specification. We can even
offer materials that reduce the noise of
passing vehicles.
Connecting communities and
improving places
The high level of in-house specialism
within Ringway allows us to fulfil
our broader, more important goal
of improving quality of life for the
public. Part and parcel of this effort
is collaborating closely with local
communities and stakeholders both
large and small. For example, we
regularly work with schools, colleges
and other local community groups to
understand their needs and how we can
work collectively to realise social value.
Our community engagement is an
aspect of the business that we are
absolutely committed to continuing
to develop, as we want to truly
distinguish ourselves as a trusted
partner in the areas where we work
while also working more sustainably in
those same local communities.
Therefore, as a company, we want
to look not just at the project at
hand, but also the wider value of our
services. It’s this kind of attitude which
is the way forward when it comes to
improving the potential of successful
relationships between the private and
public sectors.
In recent years, one of our priorities
has been to fully understand and
embrace the changing nature of our
country’s infrastructure. We recognise
that the highway network is no longer
about simply getting people from A
to B – roads are now beginning to
be seen as corridors for energy, and
will be pivotal in the successful cross-
country rollout of 5G connectivity. We
blend the decades-long expertise of
being an experienced service provider,
delivering the best quality local
maintenance solutions, with a forward-
thinking approach that places front-
and-centre the need to improve the
mobility of local people, across towns,
cities and regions – true placemaking
in action.
We have delivered local
services in the highways
sector for over 40 years
Ringway is
solely focused
on the
improvement
and
maintenance
of the UK’s
highways
“
“
3RINGWAY |
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE
The road ahead
As a business committed to
sustainability, we welcomed the
Government’s recent announcement
on its ambitious target of carbon
neutrality by 2050. Be it through
the automation of our equipment
or electrification of our vehicles, we
recognise the significant role that we
have to play in helping to achieve this
and will continue to take the necessary
action required.
Not only is this beneficial in the
challenge of tackling climate change,
but brings significant benefits to
the communities in which we work.
Innovative, sustainable practices
reduce noise on work sites and, in
many cases, create efficiencies which
mean roads are closed for shorter
periods. For example, we are already
implementing water saving processes
in our businesses, exploring alternative
fuels and making good progress on
switching to materials that are either
recycled themselves or can be recycled.
We are also thinking more about issues
of diversity and inclusion. So far, our
sector has a poor track record in this
area. In addition to providing improved
opportunities for a better, more
diverse mix of skills and backgrounds,
we are connecting with a range
of new partners to have different
conversations about the type of work
we do. Our teams get the opportunity
to make a difference to people’s lives
– day in, day out, whether that be by
offering new ways of experiencing
travel through better mapping and
data, or simply by providing access
to shops and public services in severe
weather.
Finally, we are passionate about the
changing nature of the way we travel,
the blurring relationship between
work and home environments and the
opportunities we have in this sector
to shape a new, connected future
in the UK. It is this opportunity that
makes our work exciting – and it’s
this optimism above all that will see us
through to the future. Our people are
passionate and driven
about the services we
deliver
We are
passionate
about the
changing
nature of the
way we travel
“
“